SIST EN ISO 12236:2026

• Abstract:

  This document specifies a method for the determination of the puncture resistance by measuring the force required to push a flat-ended plunger through geosynthetics.; The test is normally carried out on dry specimens conditioned in the specified atmosphere.; The test is applicable to most types of geosynthetic products, but does not apply to products with apertures greater than 10 mm.

• Status: Published
• Public Enquiry End Date: 30-Jul-2024
• Publication Date: 18-Jun-2026
• ICS: 59.080.70 - Geotextiles
• Technical Committee: ITEK - Textile and textile products
• Current Stage: 6060 - National Implementation/Publication (Adopted Project)
• Start Date: 10-Jun-2026
• Due Date: 15-Aug-2026
• Completion Date: 19-Jun-2026
• Ref Project: EN ISO 12236:2026 - Geosynthetics - Static puncture test (CBR test) (ISO 12236:2026)

• Refers: SIST ISO 554:1995 - Standard atmospheres for conditioning and/or testing -- Specifications
• Effective Date: 08-Jul-2026
• Referred By: SIST EN 13491:2005 - Geosynthetic barriers - Characteristics required for use as a fluid barrier in the construction of tunnels and underground structures
• Effective Date: 27-May-2026
• Referred By: SIST EN 13491:2013 - Geosynthetic barriers - Characteristics required for use as a fluid barrier in the construction of tunnels and associated underground structures
• Effective Date: 27-May-2026
• Referred By: SIST EN 13253:2016 - Geotextiles and geotextile-related products - Characteristics required for use in erosion control works (coastal protection, bank revetments)
• Effective Date: 27-May-2026
• Referred By: SIST EN 13252:2014 - Geotextiles and geotextile-related products - Characteristics required for use in drainage systems
• Effective Date: 27-May-2026
• Referred By: SIST EN 13256:2016 - Geotextiles and geotextile-related products - Characteristics required for use in the construction of tunnels and underground structures
• Effective Date: 27-May-2026
• Referred By: SIST EN 13254:2001 - Geotextiles and geotextile-related products - Characteristics required for use in the construction of reservoirs and dams
• Effective Date: 27-May-2026
• Referred By: SIST EN 13250:2014 - Geotextiles and geotextile-related products - Characteristics required for use in the construction of railways
• Effective Date: 27-May-2026
• Referred By: SIST EN 13254:2016 - Geotextiles and geotextile-related products - Characteristics required for the use in the construction of reservoirs and dams
• Effective Date: 27-May-2026
• Referred By: SIST EN 13257:2001 - Geotextiles and geotextile-related products - Characteristics required for use in solid waste disposals
• Effective Date: 27-May-2026
• Referred By: SIST EN 13492:2005 - Geosynthetic barriers - Characteristics required for use in the construction of liquid waste disposal sites, transfer stations or secondary containment
• Effective Date: 27-May-2026
• Referred By: SIST EN 13257:2014 - Geotextiles and geotextile-related products - Characteristics required for use in solid waste disposals
• Effective Date: 27-May-2026
• Referred By: SIST EN 13361:2013 - Geosynthetic barriers - Characteristics required for use in the construction of reservoirs and dams
• Effective Date: 27-May-2026
• Referred By: SIST EN 13249:2016 - Geotextiles and geotextile-related products - Characteristics required for use in the construction of roads and other trafficked areas (excluding railways and asphalt inclusion)
• Effective Date: 27-May-2026
• Referred By: SIST EN 13249:2014 - Geotextiles and geotextile-related products - Characteristics required for use in the construction of roads and other trafficked areas (excluding railways and asphalt inclusion)
• Effective Date: 27-May-2026

SIST EN ISO 12236:2026 is the Slovenian national standard adopted from EN ISO 12236:2026, published by SIST. It specifies a static puncture test for geosynthetics, measuring the force needed to push a flat-ended plunger through the material. The test is intended for dry, conditioned specimens and is useful for laboratories, manufacturers, quality teams, and buyers who need to compare puncture resistance.

What does SIST EN ISO 12236:2026 specify?

SIST EN ISO 12236:2026 specifies a method for determining puncture resistance by measuring the force required to push a flat-ended plunger through geosynthetics. In practice, it gives a repeatable way to compare products under the same test conditions.

The document applies to most geosynthetic products, but not to products with apertures greater than 10 mm. It is organized into clauses 1 to 10 covering scope, normative references, terms and definitions, principle, apparatus, specimens, conditioning, procedure, recording and calculation of results, and test report.

What are the key requirements of SIST EN ISO 12236:2026?

Test principle and setup

SIST EN ISO 12236:2026 requires the specimen to be clamped between two steel rings while a plunger is advanced perpendicular to the specimen at the centre. The test records the push-through force, the push-through displacement, and the full force-displacement curve. This matters because the clamping and loading path directly affect the measured resistance.

Apparatus

SIST EN ISO 12236:2026 requires a testing machine of class 1 or better according to ISO 7500-1, capable of a constant displacement rate of (50 ± 5) mm/min, force and displacement recording, and autographic read-out. The plunger is stainless steel with a diameter of (50 ± 0,5) mm and a leading-edge radius of (2,5 ± 0,2) mm. The clamping system must prevent slipping or cutting, and the internal diameter of the clamping rings is (150 ± 0,5) mm. These details matter because the machine and fixture geometry control the result.

Specimens

SIST EN ISO 12236:2026 requires five specimens, taken at random from the sample in accordance with ISO 9862. If the two faces of the product have different characteristics, the complete test is carried out separately on each face. That gives results that better represent layered or asymmetric products.

Conditioning

SIST EN ISO 12236:2026 normally requires conditioning and testing in the standard atmosphere for testing, 20 ± 2 °C and 65 ± 5 % relative humidity, as defined in ISO 554. Specimens are considered conditioned when successive weighings show a mass change of no more than 0.25 % at intervals of at least 2 h. Omission of conditioning or testing in that atmosphere is allowed only when it is shown that atmospheric change does not affect the product type, and that information must be reported.

Procedure

SIST EN ISO 12236:2026 requires the plunger to advance at the specified rate, with displacement recording starting at a preload of 0.02 kN. For nonwoven products, the plunger is leveled to the lower support plus the average product thickness measured at 2 kPa according to ISO 9863-1. This keeps the starting position consistent, which is important for comparing products.

Results and report

SIST EN ISO 12236:2026 requires recording push-through force in kilonewtons, push-through displacement in millimetres when required, the force-displacement graph when required, and any slipping or cutting near the clamping rings. Results are expressed as the mean push-through force and the coefficient of variation. The report also identifies the sample, conditioning atmosphere, any deviation, the tested side if relevant, and the graph if required.

What terms does SIST EN ISO 12236:2026 define?

• Plunger force (F) - the force applied as the plunger moves onto and through the specimen at constant displacement rate.
• Push-through force (Fp) - the maximum plunger force recorded in one test.
• Displacement (h) - the distance the plunger has moved from its starting point after the 0.02 kN preload is applied.
• Push-through displacement (hp) - the displacement at the point where the maximum force is reached.

Who uses SIST EN ISO 12236:2026?

SIST EN ISO 12236:2026 is used by testing laboratories, geosynthetics manufacturers, and quality managers who need a standard puncture test method. It is also relevant to engineers, specifiers, and buyers working with geotextiles and other geosynthetic products when they need comparable puncture resistance data for product selection, verification, or documentation.

What changed in SIST EN ISO 12236:2026 from the previous edition?

SIST EN ISO 12236:2026 supersedes EN ISO 12236:2006 and replaces ISO 12236:2006. The stated changes are a revised Figure 4, updated Clause 8, updated Clause 10, and consistent units throughout the document.

Which standards are used with SIST EN ISO 12236:2026?

• ISO 554 - specifies the standard atmosphere used for conditioning and testing.
• ISO 7500-1 - covers calibration and verification of the force-measuring system of the testing machine.
• ISO 9862 - gives the method for sampling and preparing test specimens.
• ISO 9863-1 - provides the thickness measurement method used for nonwoven leveling at 2 kPa.
• ISO 10320 - supports identification of the sample tested in the report.

What does the SIST EN ISO 12236:2026 document contain?

SIST EN ISO 12236:2026 contains the full test method, from apparatus and specimen preparation to calculation and reporting. Figure 1 shows a typical plunger force versus displacement curve, and Figures 2 to 4 show the plunger, clamping system, and guide block used in the test setup. Clause 8 gives the step-by-step procedure, while Clauses 9 and 10 set out the recorded data, the result expression, and the report content.

SLOVENSKI STANDARD
01-julij-2026
Geosintetike - Statični prebojni preskus z žigom (preskus CBR) (ISO 12236:2026)
Geosynthetics - Static puncture test (CBR test) (ISO 12236:2026)
Geokunststoffe - Stempeldurchdrückversuch (CBR-Versuch) (ISO 12236:2026)
Géosynthétiques - Essai de poinçonnement statique (essai CBR) (ISO 12236:2026)
Ta slovenski standard je istoveten z: EN ISO 12236:2026
ICS:
59.080.70 Geotekstilije Geotextiles
2003-01.Slovenski inštitut za standardizacijo. Razmnoževanje celote ali delov tega standarda ni dovoljeno.

EN ISO 12236
EUROPEAN STANDARD
NORME EUROPÉENNE
May 2026
EUROPÄISCHE NORM
ICS 59.080.70 Supersedes EN ISO 12236:2006
English Version
Geosynthetics - Static puncture test (CBR test) (ISO
12236:2026)
Géosynthétiques - Essai de poinçonnement statique Geokunststoffe - Stempeldurchdrückversuch (CBR-
(essai CBR) (ISO 12236:2026) Versuch) (ISO 12236:2026)
This European Standard was approved by CEN on 30 April 2026.

CEN members are bound to comply with the CEN/CENELEC Internal Regulations which stipulate the conditions for giving this
European Standard the status of a national standard without any alteration. Up-to-date lists and bibliographical references
concerning such national standards may be obtained on application to the CEN-CENELEC Management Centre or to any CEN
member.
This European Standard exists in three official versions (English, French, German). A version in any other language made by
translation under the responsibility of a CEN member into its own language and notified to the CEN-CENELEC Management
Centre has the same status as the official versions.

CEN members are the national standards bodies of Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia,
Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway,
Poland, Portugal, Republic of North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Türkiye and
United Kingdom.
EUROPEAN COMMITTEE FOR STANDARDIZATION
COMITÉ EUROPÉEN DE NORMALISATION

EUROPÄISCHES KOMITEE FÜR NORMUNG

CEN-CENELEC Management Centre: Rue de la Science 23, B-1040 Brussels
© 2026 CEN All rights of exploitation in any form and by any means reserved Ref. No. EN ISO 12236:2026 E
worldwide for CEN national Members.

Contents Page
European foreword . 3

European foreword
This document (EN ISO 12236:2026) has been prepared by Technical Committee ISO/TC 221
"Geosynthetics" in collaboration with Technical Committee CEN/TC 189 “Geosynthetics” the secretariat
of which is held by NBN.
This European Standard shall be given the status of a national standard, either by publication of an
identical text or by endorsement, at the latest by November 2026, and conflicting national standards
shall be withdrawn at the latest by November 2026.
Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be the subject of
patent rights. CEN shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.
This document supersedes EN ISO 12236:2006.
Any feedback and questions on this document should be directed to the users’ national standards
body/national committee. A complete listing of these bodies can be found on the CEN website.
According to the CEN-CENELEC Internal Regulations, the national standards organizations of the
following countries are bound to implement this European Standard: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria,
Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland,
Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Republic of
North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Türkiye and the
United Kingdom.
Endorsement notice
The text of ISO 12236:2026 has been approved by CEN as EN ISO 12236:2026 without any modification.

International
Standard
ISO 12236
Third edition
Geosynthetics — Static puncture
2026-05
test (CBR test)
Géosynthétiques — Essai de poinçonnement statique (essai CBR)
Reference number
ISO 12236:2026(en) © ISO 2026
ISO 12236:2026(en)
© ISO 2026
All rights reserved. Unless otherwise specified, or required in the context of its implementation, no part of this publication may
be reproduced or utilized otherwise in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, or posting on
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or ISO’s member body in the country of the requester.
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Published in Switzerland
ii
ISO 12236:2026(en)
Contents Page
Foreword .iv
1 Scope . 1
2 Normative references . 1
3 Terms and definitions . 1
4 Principle . 2
5 Apparatus . 3
5.1 Testing machine . .3
5.2 Plunger .3
5.3 Clamping system .3
6 Specimens. 4
7 Conditioning . 4
8 Procedure . 5
9 Recording, calculation and expression of results . 5
9.1 Recording of data .5
9.2 Calculation and expression of results .6
10 Test report . 6

iii
ISO 12236:2026(en)
Foreword
ISO (the International Organization for Standardization) is a worldwide federation of national standards
bodies (ISO member bodies). The work of preparing International Standards is normally carried out through
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The procedures used to develop this document and those intended for its further maintenance are described
in the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 1. In particular, the different approval criteria needed for the
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